Load bracing device



June 11, 194@ w. F. EISENSMITH 2,204,075

LOAD BRACNG DEVICE Filed July 2l, 1939 2 Shee'Ls-Sheeid 1 ne?. g

WITNESSE l INVENTOR:

ZMLW/ M Mmmm ffzsmsmim, u j BY @im ATTORNEYS.

W. F. EISENSMITH LOAD BRACING DEVICE Filed July 2l, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MNMMNLNI (j NIH mwfw.

WITNESSE Patented June 1l, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to load bracing devices and, more particularly, to devices especially useful in restraining freight from shifting movements, or becoming loose, during transport in cars, trucks and similar vehicles.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel construction of bracing device capable of a four-point action without the aid of nails, screws, holding-cleats, or other retainer 10 means.

Another object is to provide a bracing device which when placed in the desired position and so arrested is immune against working loose regardless of surrounding or impact vibrations.

A further object is to provide a fully assembled bracing device which can `be readily adjusted for use in standard cars or trucks irrespective of their width.

A still further object is the provision of a bracing device of the type indicated above, characterized by a novel form of holder effectively preventive of the device bracing components ever becoming displaced, when once positioned, regardless of road or rail shocks and vibrations incidental to travel of the car or truck in which it isplaced.

Another object is to provide a oldable and easily transportable load bracing device of the above indicated kind which` is simple and durable in construction, as Well as extremely eiiicient in active position. l

Other objects and features of this invention, in addition to ancillary advantages, will be apparent from a consideration of the following explanatory disclosure, considered in connection with the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings, while the concluding claims tersely express the subject-matter for which patent protection is sought.

40 In the drawings:

Fig. I is a broken perspective view looking inwardly of a truck body or car, with the load bracing device of this invention in active position.

Fig. II is a horizontal section on the plane II--II of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a broken face view of the load bracing device in collapsed position for carriage or transportation.

Fig. IV is a top plan view of the preceding figure, with the central portion broken out to more clearly show an important feature later on fully described.

Fig. V is a sectional view on the plane V-V 0f F18. III.

(Cl. 10S-369) Fig. VI is a fragmentary View illustrative of the impinging anchorage eiected by each of the upper ends of the bracing members or bars with the confronting Wall portion of a car or truck interior; and, `l5

Fig. VII is a perspective view of the corresponding end of each bracing bar.

Referring rst to Figs. I and II more particularly, the numeral I generally designates a crosssection of a conventional truck body or freight 10 car, the same including a bottom or oor 2, opposed side walls 3, 3 and a roof 4; while container freight is comprehensively indicated as 5, the same being shown as comprising sealed containers of different species. 15

The load bracing device 6 of this invention as illustrated comprises counterpart beams l, 8 of suitable material, such as rectangular-section seasoned lumber, with one end tapered relative to the horizontal at 9, and the other end arcually 20 curved at I0 in respect to the vertical; said ends, respectively, serving in use as lower and upper wedging contacts. Medially lengthwise of each beam is an elongate slot I I through` which passes a connecting bolt I2 with a suitable washer I3 25 at each side of the device, and a clamping nut I4 whereby said parts are rigidly securable together at the requisite adjustment. Preferably flanking each tapering lower end 9 of the respective beams l, 8 is a steel grip plate I5 which 30 are jointly secured in position by through bolts I6, each said plate conforming substantially with the beam ends 9, with inclined edges I1 spaced evenly beyond said ends as clearly shown in Fig. III to provide impinging points I8, for a purpose 35 hereafter explained.

Somewhat similarly, each beam upper arcual end. Ill is reinforced by langing steel grip plates I9 having suitably-directed teeth 20, the roots 2l of which are proximate curvilinearly-near the 40 ends III, said plates being secured in place by spaced through bolts 22. It is to be here noted that all of the bolts I6 and 22 have rivet-like heads 23 which are inwardly disposed so as to compact the beams l, 8 as closely together as 45 possible when collapsed. In addition, each beam end I0 intervening the grip plates I9 is tted with a conformably bent protective strap 24 appropriately holed for attachment in position as by nails or wood-screws 25, such strap serving 50 as a protector upon forcing the teeth 2l! into biting engagement with the walls 3, 3' and to prevent splitting of the said beam end.

In order to firmly hold the device 6 in operative position as shown in Fig. I, one of the beams 55 8, for example, has pivotally attached at 26 a retainer bar 21 provided with suitably-directed ratchet or locking-teeth 28 for coaction with an angle-sectionvcatch, one ilange 2S whereof is rigidly secured, as by screws 30, to the other beam '1, With the inwardly directed relativelyshorter flange 3l cut-out to provide an arrestor dog 32 engageable by the locking-teeth 28 aforesaid. It is to be also noted the ange 3| also serves as a stop for positioning the beams 1, 8 in parallelism when the device is collapsed, while the retainer bar 2l rests on the clamp bolt I2, as clearly understandable from Figs. III and V.

The operation of the load bracing device 6 may be briefly described as follows: The operator simply releases the clamp nut I4, thus enabling the beams 3 to free movement with their end points I3 in the lower corners of the oar or truck meeting side walls 3, 3' and floor 2, in close abutment to the packed freight 5, whereupon the upper grip plates I9 are similarly forced downwardly into impingement with said side walls, when the retainer bar 2l is swung into position for one of its teeth Z8 to arrestively engage the dog 32, with the grip plate teeth 2E! embedding the walls 3, 3', in an obvious manner, with a four-point arrestive contact. Orbviously, to release the device i3, the retaining bar il is simply knocked upwards, when said device can be easily lifted out ol` engagement with the side walls 3, 3 and bottom 2 withy but little manual eiort, and folded up for carriage, storage or transport by collapsing the beams l, 8 into mutual registration and tightening of the nut I4.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent the load bracing device of this invention can be used for irmly holding all kind yof freight against movement during transport and otherwise; and viat said device is capa-ble of use in many other positions than the one specifically disclosed herein. Also, that minor changes in the details of construction, as well as the materials used in its fabrication, can be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as concisely expressed in the following claims and the prior art permits.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a load bracing device, the combination of counteractive complemental intersecting members disposed normal to the direction of the load thrust, each said member having a point engaging end and an arcual end for engaging opposed walls, means pivotally connecting said members medially of theirI length with capacity `for relative movement, a retainer device mounted on and intermediate the pivotal connection andthe outer end of one of said members, and an arrester means carried by the other member for adjustable engagement by the retainer device.

2. In a load bracing device, the combination of counteractive complemental intersecting members of appropriate cross-section in a common plane normal to the load thrust, each said member having one end taperingly inclined with respect to the lateral center line and the other end arcually curved in respect to the longitudinal center line of the brace member for impingement with spaced walls, clampable means pivotally connecting the members medially of their length with capacity for relative sliding adjustment, a retainer member attached to one of the intersecting members at one extremity intermediate the pivotal connection and the other end of said member, and an arrestor device carried by the other member for adjustable engagement by the retainer member to lock the device in active position.

.3. In a load bracing device, the combination of counteractive complemental intersecting beam members of rectangular cross-section disposed in a common plane normal to a horizontally acting load thrust, each said member having one end taperingly inclined downwards and the other end arcually curved respectively relative to the lateral and longitudinal center line of the beam for engagement with spaced parallel walls, a pivotal connection medially of the length of said members with associated slots permitting relative adjustment, said connection including means for clamping the members in bracing position or when collapsed to hold them in mutual registration, a retainer bar fulcrumed to one of the beam members at one extremity intermediate the pivotal connection and the outer end of said member, and an arrester dog carried by the other member for adjustable engagement by the retainer member to secure the intersecting members immovable while in active position.

4l. A load bracing device as defined in claim 3, wherein the complemental intersecting beam members have their ends respectively fitted with inclined and arcually curved fianking plates having projection beyond said ends, means rigidly securing said plates to the beam members in spaced relation, said arcually curved end plates being formed with teeth the roots whereof proximately adjoin the beam end curvatures, and a protector strap is applied to the beam arcually curved end intermediate the flanking plates also serviceable to prevent said curved end from splitting.

5. A load bracing device as dened` in claim 3, wherein the retainer bar is formed with ratchet teeth along a portion of the lower edge remote from its fulcrum end.

6. A load bracing device as dened in claim 3, n

wherein the arresto-r dog is in the form ol' an angle section attachment with one flange longer than the other, means whereby said attachment longer ange is securable to one of the intersect ing beam members, and a cut out in the attachvment shorter flange upper portion forming a dog-tooth.

WILLIAM F. EISENSMIIH. 

